I Gotta Love You, But I Don't Have to Like You
by courderouge2006
Summary: Ready to take a big step in his life, Sheriff Clark Kent gets thrown for yet another loop. A visitor is coming to Smallville, and this time, it's personal. Part of the Sheriff Kent AU. Hope you enjoy.
1. Chapter 1

Alright people, here's a new idea. Sorry it's taken a while, I think I burnt myself out at the rate I was writing before hand. Been tossing this idea around for a bit, and I finally started putting it on Word. Let me know if you think it's worth continuing. And thank you all for (hopefully) continuing to read Sheriff Kent. I own none of these characters or settings.

/

He had been in a rough mood since his phone rang at 3 AM. Driving back into town, Clark parked at the curb in front of the hotel and saw Old Charlie standing in the front lobby. Clark hadn't even taken the time to find one of his uniform shirts, settling for an old blue flannel button up and jeans. Clipping his pistol and badge into place on his belt, he walked through the front door. "What's the problem Charlie?"

The old man hopped up from his chair. "Sheriff, sorry to wake you up so late, but something weird is going on."

Rubbing the last of the sleep form his eyes, Clark sighed. "What might that be Charlie?"

"Well, earlier I did rounds like I do every night, make sure the roof is locked and all the rooms are secured. I woke up a little while ago and something felt strange, so I did it again. I got up to the top floor, and one door was open. It was… the room that kid stayed in last time, the thief."

Clark raised his brow. "That was a long story Charlie, not as simple as all that. What was missing?"

Charlie shook his head. "Nothing from what I could see. It looked like the door had just been slipped open. But the fact that it was that room creeped me out a bit, so I called you."

Clark nodded. "Alright, I'm gonna go up and have a look around Charlie. Stay down here, and if you hear anything you call the station and get someone else here immediately, understand?"

Charlie nodded as Clark started walking up the stairs. Pulling his pistol outside the doorway he reached in to flip on the light, slipping into the room with his gun drawn. Clark walked through and checked the bathroom then the closet, with no sign anyone was in there. Letting out a deep breath, Clark holstered his gun and sat on the end of the bed. "Why this room?"

Propping his elbows on his knees, Clark looked around for anything out of place. The heater vent was crooked. That hadn't been messed up when they searched the room after arresting Bart. Grabbing the chair from the small desk, Clark stepped up on it and pulled at the corner of the vent. It popped off easily.

"What the hell…? Reaching into the vent Clark felt around and found… a small box? Stepping back down he flicked the box open, his eyes opening wide for the first time since he was woken up. "Son of a bitch." He grinned as he looked down at the ring in the box. The ring he had gotten for Lois. "Bart."

Sitting back on the bed, Clark pulled his cell phone out and found the number. Not surprisingly, a fully alert voice answered him, cheery and not sleepy at all.

"Hello?"

"Bart. How'd you do it?"

"How'd I do what big guy?"

"How did you get into the hotel in Smallville? Or, how did you get the ring back? Or, how did you get up here with that charm bracelet on your ankle? Pick any of them, I'm just curious." He heard a chuckle on the other end of the call.

"Don't ask a magician for his secrets, CK."

"You're a magician now? Does that entertain the kids at the house?"

"Funny funny. Look, I just did a lot of thinking and I wanted to try to make things right. I got it back, even gave back the cash it was bought for. Or, close enough. Not really sure how it got up there though, I've been down here since you dropped me off. Check the tracking device, it'll tell you that."

Clark just laughed. "I guess I should say thanks then."

"Nah, it's just a little compared to what I owe you man. Anne's the one who pushed me to track it down, she didn't talk to me for a couple days."

"Anne huh? Is there something I should know about Bart? I didn't figure you the type of guy who would go to those lengths to just keep a coworker from being mad at you."

"Shut up stretch, it's not like that."

"Uh huh. Well thanks anyway Bart. And don't worry, I won't tell anyone about your little vacation."

"Thanks man. I'll talk to you later."

Clark smiled as he ended the call, staring at the box in his hand. Tucking it away in his pocket he fixed the room and the vent quickly before he shut the door and walked back downstairs.

"Well, what was it?" Charlie was standing at the counter waiting for an explanation.

Clark shrugged. "I didn't see anything strange in the room. Maybe the door just slipped open, didn't latch fully. It's all clear Charlie." Clark patted him on the shoulder. "Feel free to call anytime, don't worry."

Charlie locked the door after Clark left. Climbing into his car, Clark couldn't help but smile at the thought of having the ring back and finally being able to figure out how to ask Lois.

/

Clark sat with his car hidden in the brush. The radar gun beeped as another car passed, reading out at two miles over the speed limit. Sighing, Clark reset the gun and laid his head back. "In charge and I still have to pull speed trap duty. Stupid morale boosters. I'm the Sheriff, they should have to do all the crappy jobs."

Feeling a buzz in his pocket, Clark reached down and grabbed his cell phone, smirking at the name on the display. "Hello darlin'."

"_What did I say about pet names buddy?"_

"That you love them and want me to use them as often as possible." Clark pulled the phone back from his ear at the sudden burst of laughter.

"_Oh boy, you think you're a comedian now, that's great for me. And what's going on with you, you sound a lot more… perky. What's up?"_

Clark shook his head. Nothing got by Lois. "Nothing's going on. I'm just looking forward to seeing you. Is that a crime?"

"_I don't know. Gonna let me borrow your handcuffs if I say yes?"_

Even with no one around to hear her, Clark turned a shade of red. "Something tells me you have your own by now."

"_You should know better than to ask a girl for her secrets Smallville, that takes the fun out of it. And I'm looking forward to seeing you too. Is your mom still expecting us for dinner tonight?"_

"Yea, she told me to remind you. I was going to call you on my lunch break."

"_That sounds perfect. I just have to do something for this story, and I'll see you guys around seven, that good?"_

"Sounds perfect Lois. Be careful, alright?"

"_Aren't I always? Don't answer that, gotta go, love you."_

"I love you too Lois. See you tonight." Flipping his phone closed, Clark stared at it and chuckled to himself. Putting it back in his pocket, he pulled the small box out and looked it over again. He knew the time was coming, very soon.

The radar gun beeped again, this time the tones running closer together and higher pitched. Looking at the screen, Clark pushed the ring back into his pocket as he fired the Charger up. "76 in a 55. Someone's in a hurry." Hitting the siren, Clark took off after the car, flinging dirt and grass before the tires squealed on the asphalt. Grabbing for the mic, Clark keyed up his radio. "Sheriff Kent to dispatch, Sheriff Kent to dispatch, you read me?"

"_Gotcha Sheriff, go."_

"I got a speeder out here, late 90s Jeep Cherokee. Minnesota plates, license number Kilo-November-Tango-2-4-7. Any outstandings?"

"_One second… no outstandings Sheriff."_

"Thanks dispatch. I'll check back later." Setting the mic back into place, Clark pulled over behind the Cherokee as it stopped in the grass. Grabbing his ticket book Clark shut the car off and stepped out, fixing his sunglasses as he shut the door. Walking up to the driver's side he reached for the pen in his pocket. "License and registration please."

"Well this is a heck of a welcoming committee."

Shutting his eyes tightly, Clark reached up and pulled the shades from his face. "You gotta be kidding me." Stepping in front of the driver's side door, Clark leaned down and finally opened his eyes. "Kara. What are you doing here?"

The perky blonde grinned up at him, giving a little wave. "Hey big cuz. Miss me?"

/

Good start? Trash bin fodder? Lemme know what you think folks. Have a good one.


	2. Chapter 2

Here you go folks, Chapter 2. Thanks to everyone for the support and the happy reception. Hope it's worth it.

/

Yanking the door to the station open, Clark "helped" Kara through the doorway. "My office, now."

"Jeez, you don't have to be so pushy. I didn't do anything wrong."

"You don't think 20 mph over the speed limit is doing something wrong?"

Kara stopped and turned to face her cousin, crossing her arms. "Well you never gave me a ticket, so how do I know that's really why you pulled me over? Sloppy Clark. Just sloppy."

Clark's left eye twitched slightly as he stared down at his little cousin. "My… office… now!"

Rolling her eyes, Kara shrugged her shoulders. "I was going there when you stopped me. Make up your mind."

Clark's hand tightened on the cell phone he had to take away from Kara when she kept answering text messages when he was trying to talk to her, only letting go when he heard something crack. Taking a few deep breaths he started walking towards his office when he noticed everyone in the room was paying attention to them… well, mostly to Kara. "HEY! Back to work!"

The officers snapped back to their paperwork and phone calls quickly, realizing it was a bad time to push the Sheriff's buttons.

Walking into the office, Clark kicked the door shut and glanced up to see Kara in his chair typing away at the computer. "What are you doing?"

"Messaging Chelsea. _Someone_ took my cell phone and I couldn't answer her. That's rude you know."

Clark's vision blurred for a moment. "What are you doing here Kara? Why are you in Smallville? I told you the last time..."

She didn't look up at him. "I was coming to visit Aunt Martha."

"Bull. She never said anything to me about it." Clark walked around the desk, arms crossed.

Kara stood up, mirroring his stance and mocking his tone. "Well I wonder why, obviously you're really open to the idea of a visit from me."

"First off, I do not sound like that. And second…"

The door opened just then. "Hey Bossman, got the report off that 481 out on County Road, you need to sign…" Looking up at the desk, Whitney burst into a wide grin. "Kare Bear!"

Pushing past Clark, Kara ran over and hugged Whitney. "Oh my god, it's so good to see you! How are Lana and Kyle?"

Clark fell into his desk chair. Rubbing his palms into his eyelids, he focused harder on not snapping at them. But his control was waning… quickly. "Whitney, we're busy. I'll sign it in a minute, go."

"One sec Bossman. What are you doing out here, are you done with school now?"

"Yea, the semester ended a couple weeks ago, and Aunt Martha said…"

Clark's hand slapped down on the top of his desk. "Whitney." Staring up at his second in command, Clark didn't say another word. His expression spoke volumes.

Whitney looked from Clark to Kara, then back. Slowly backing away, he held his hands up in surrender and glanced to Kara. "You did something baaaaaaaaad." Pulling the door closed, Whitney left the cousins in the office.

Kara huffed again. "Why do you have to always act like you're in charge?"

"Because I am. Sheriff. This is the Sheriff's office. So this is my kingdom. My realm. I'm the king, the ruler, the boss, the man in charge. And I don't like people coming in and trying to make me look bad in front of the men I have to trust my town with. Got it?" His voice never rose, which amazed even him.

Kara opened her mouth to retort, but said nothing. She simply sat down across the desk , arms still crossed. "Fine."

Clark finally breathed a little easier when she didn't start arguing again. "Now… what are you doing here Kara?"

"I told you, I'm visiting Aunt Martha." Kara slumped in the chair a little more. "Things are kind of… tense back home."

Sitting back, Clark rubbed his hand over his face. "What happened?"

"Like you even care. You're just gonna agree with them, why are you asking my side of it?"

Clark took a deep breath. "Don't try and act like I don't have reasons to be skeptical. But I am asking for your side. What happened?"

Kara's hands fiddled with a rubber band she had taken off the desk. "Apparently if you decide to change majors after 3 years, you've done nothing but waste a lot of my parent's time and money."

Clark chuckled. "Changing your major? Let me guess, you met some guy that made you see a whole new side of the world?"

Setting her jaw, Kara shook her head. "I knew you wouldn't even listen." Standing up quickly, Kara grabbed her cell phone from the desk and headed for the door. "I'll be at Aunt Martha's. Do you want to put a tracker on my car?" Glaring over her shoulder, Kara swung the door open and walked out quickly.

Grunting, Clark stood to follow. Muttering to himself he left the office in time to see Kara rush through the door to the parking lot. So many questions rushed through his mind at the sudden appearance of his cousin that he felt his temples start to throb. Turning back to his office he heard a low snickering and a few less than honorable words. Turning back he saw a couple of the younger deputies looking toward the door, smirking and gesturing. It didn't take a genius to see what they were talking about. "Hey!"

Both snapped their heads over to him, eyes wide. "Yes sir?"

"Get to work, stop gawking at my cousin."

The two nodded and turned back to their desks. Clark made it just inside the door when he heard another snicker. Without a word he walked over to stand in front of them and rested his hand on his sidearm, unclasping the holster strap. Staring them both down in turn, he waited for a reaction.

Neither man said another word for the rest of the shift.

/

Clark walked up the porch steps to his mom's house. He gave it a couple of hours before he went over. "Mom? Kara?" Shutting the door he looked around downstairs.

"She's out in the barn."

Glancing to the stairs he saw his mom walking down from the landing. "What's she doing out there?"

"Probably the same thing you used to do. Worry, fuss, and fret over whatever is bothering her endlessly." Martha Kent smiled softy as she leaned up to give her son a kiss on the cheek. "And apparently her big cousin pulling her over earlier didn't help whatever is worrying her."

Clark shook his head. "I didn't know it was her. And she was breaking the law, it's not like I was just messing with her. Besides, did she tell you what's bothering her?"

Martha nodded. "Yes she did. I would have thought you'd be a little more understanding though."

Clark just shook his head. "It's not going to help things if you coddle her mom." Clark went to the fridge and leaned inside. "I talked to Lois today, she's looking forward to coming over."

"Well I'm glad. She needs to slow down a little, the poor thing. Did she tell you I visited her when I went to Metropolis a week or so ago?"

Clark stood back up holding the carton of orange juice. "No ma'am, I didn't know about that."

Martha nodded. "She's so busy at the paper, she hardly stopped working the five minutes I stopped by. She needs to take some time and relax now and then. And I know she's not getting any good home cooked meals. She has takeout menus at her desk even."

Clark just chuckled as he twisted the cap off and took a drink of orange juice.

"Clark Joseph Kent, how many times do I have to tell you to use a glass? I swear people are going to think you were raised in a barn." Martha muttered to herself as she crossed the kitchen and reached for a glass out of the cabinet.

Clark raised an eyebrow at her statement and leaned forward to look out the kitchen window at the barn, then back to his mother.

Martha caught his gaze and huffed. "You were raised on a farm, big difference. Don't get smart with me young man."

Stifling his laugh, Clark accepted the glass. "Yes ma'am."

Sitting at the counter, Martha looked back to the barn. "You need to talk to her."

"I already tried that mom, she just stormed out of my office."

"Oh that's a shock. You pushed her into your office, made her feel like a five year old in front of your people, and wouldn't even listen. You jumped on her and didn't listen, and don't tell me otherwise because I know you both better than you know yourselves Clark."

Leaned against the counter, Clark didn't say a word. Rubbing the back of his neck he drained the last of the orange juice and put the glass in the sink. "Alright, I'll go out there."

"Good. And listen to her this time Clark. Don't jump to conclusions."

Shaking his head Clark walked down the porch steps, grunting. Heading into the barn he looked around and didn't see Kara on the lower level. Looking to the loft steps he headed up and saw her sitting in the window sill, staring at something in her hand. "Hey."

She didn't look up at him, instead mumbling a reply. Clark walked closer to her and finally saw what she had in her hand, and it made sense.

Kara traced a fingertip over Jonathan Kent's face. "I miss him."

Clark nodded and sat down at the other end of the window sill. "So do I."

Kara wiped a tear from her cheek. "You know, the two times I've really, really shouted at my dad was because of your dad."

Clark's brow rose. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I guess the first time was because of all of you guys. When daddy said that we were moving to Minnesota because of his job, I was so mad. I didn't want to leave Metropolis, but I really didn't want to move so far from you guys. So, when daddy said that we were moving so he could make a bunch more money and we could have a bigger house, I didn't want to go. I didn't care about a bigger house, I just wanted to stay around all our family. So, at the precious age of ten, I told my parents I wanted to move in with you guys and they could move to Minnesota. It didn't go over all that well."

Clark fumbled with a loose nail in one of the boards. "You would have rather stayed here than with your parents?"

Kara nodded. "Daddy was always busy, he wasn't ever really home. And mom was busy building a social circle the more money we got. Uncle Jonathan and Aunt Martha were the ones who would actually show up to things. Like my first softball game. My parents didn't even come, but yours did. And so did you."

Clark just nodded. "What about the second time?"

Kara took a deep breath and looked at the picture again. "A little bit after we moved… and I got home from school and daddy called me to his office and told me about… Uncle Jonathan's heart…"

Clark felt a tightness in his chest from the mention of his dad's heart attack. "Yea…"

Wiping her face, Kara sniffled. "He told me what happened, and I tried to be strong and not cry. I asked when we were coming down here, but he said things were really hectic and he couldn't get away… for his own cousin's funeral. I told him we had to come, but he said work was busy and we'd come down sometime later. I stormed out, packed a bag, and tried hitchhiking back to Kansas. The police brought me home and daddy was so mad. He never outright said it, but I think he figured I liked your dad better than him."

Clark shook his head and scoffed. "That's crazy. He's your dad, you love him."

Kara chuckled. "Well cousin Clark, you above all people should know that even if you love your family, you don't have to like them… right?" She looked up at him, her jaw set tight.

Clark shook his head. "Just… don't… we're different, I never said I didn't like you."

"You don't have to Clark. It's pretty obvious."

He stood up and paced across the floor. "Well if it was true, and I'm not saying it is, could you really blame me? You know that what happened…"

"Oh yea, because that statement doesn't mean that it's true at all! Just admit it Clark!"

"Kara, I swear, you are driving me…" A loud ringing cut him off mid rant and Clark fumbled for his cell phone. Checking the caller display his face twisted, confused. "Just… give me a minute." Turning his back to Kara, Clark flipped the phone open. "Captain Sawyer? What's wrong?"

"_Well hello to you too Kent. Yes, I'm doing fine today, thanks for asking."_

Clark let out a relieved breath. She called him Kent, that meant everything was alright. Only in serious situations did she use his title or call him by Clark. "Sorry Maggie. What's up?"

"_Well Kent, we have a bit of a situation here… and I'm betting you can guess what the situation is."_

Clark rubbed his face and sighed. "What'd she do now?"

"_Just… just meet me at the rec Center outside of Granville. Trust me when I say words can't do justice."_

"Alright, I'll be there as soon as I can. Thanks for the call." Shutting the phone, Clark sighed. Turning back to his cousin he shook his head. "I have to run to Granville, tell mom I'll be back soon." With that, he turned and left the loft, leaving Kara alone, stewing in the tension.

/

Pulling up to the recreation center just south of Granville, Clark was shocked to see all the police cruisers surrounding the place. "What the…?" Climbing out of his car, he walked over to find Captain Sawyer talking to Turpin. "Great… just my freakin' day."

Captain Sawyer looked back when she heard a murmur. "Sheriff Kent, good to see you again."

"You too Captain." He held his hand out to shake hers, then turned to her subordinate. "Hey Dan, how's life treating you?"

The man didn't accept the offered handshake. "That's Detective Turpin. And it's going pretty good. We just busted a prostitution ring here in the back woods. Not too far from your town are we Kent?"

Brushing off the attempted dig, Clark turned back to Sawyer. "So, what did she do now?"

Maggie just chuckled to herself. "She's not in trouble, it's pretty apparent that she's not involved… but she doesn't have a ride, and… let's just say that everything she wasn't in personal proximity of is being held as evidence."

Clark looked around for Lois. "Ok, not sure what you mean by that, but I'll go with it." A sudden voice behind him startled him.

"What she means is that if I wasn't wearing it, it's being held as evidence."

Clark turned around to face his girlfriend and his eyes went wide. Dressed in a tiny… dress wasn't really the word but he guessed it technically fit… Lois shivered in the chilly night air. Black stockings and a pair of painful looking heels finished her outfit. If it wasn't such a crazy situation, Clark would have found his thoughts going in a different situation.

Lois saw his eyes traveling downward and snapped her fingers. "Can we get going here? I don't want to be late for dinner with your mom, and I need something to wear."

Shaking his head, Clark unbuttoned his work shirt and handed it to Lois to wrap around herself. "We'll stop by my place real quick. This will hold you over."

Grabbing it, Lois wrapped the shirt around her body and cut her gaze to Turpin. "Those aren't my eyes Dick Tracy, watch yourself."

Clark turned back to see Turpin looking around like a kid who got caught trying to sneak a cookie. Shaking his head he turned back to Sawyer. "Thanks for the heads up. Good luck finishing up here." Walking Lois to the car, Clark opened her door and walked around to the driver's side.

They made it back out to the highway before Lois said anything. "Stupid cops… I told them about the rumors that someone was running a brothel out of the back of that old rec center, but I was told to stop trying to make a story where there wasn't one."

Clark held back a laugh. "Did you tell Maggie?"

"No, they wouldn't patch me through. I was told that Detective Turpin said it didn't sound credible. Slimy little troll. He would lie about it and then go in on a raid on the exact day I go in to find evidence, just my luck."

Clark couldn't hold back a laugh this time. After a few hard punches from the passenger seat, he finally calmed down. "Alright, fine. Sorry. It's not funny."

Lois slumped against him and sighed. "I just want to get some normal clothes on and have a good meal with just you and your mom. That sounds great right now."

Clark didn't say anything, but she felt him tense up. "What's wrong? Is your mom ok? Oh no, did the oven break? That's it isn't it, there's no pie tonight!"

Clark smiled barely at her worries. "Mom's fine, the oven is fine. And yes there's a pie."

Lois smiled, relieved. "So what's the problem?"

Clark's hand tightened on the steering wheel as he thought about what was waiting back at the farm. "About it just being the three of us…"


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry bout the delay boys and girls, real life came in and decided to have it's way with me. On top of that the copy of Word I was using ran out and I honestly can't stand writing with anything other than that. Very special thanks to one special reader who helped me out with that so I could get back to writing. Hope you're all not too mad.

/

Standing in front of the open loft window, Kara smiled as she felt the sun warming her skin. As any normal college girl she had spent her fair share of time on the beach or tanning in a booth, but this sun just felt… different. No noise, no partiers, no drunk morons trying to hit on her. It was peaceful out here.

"Nice change of pace isn't it?"

Kara twisted at the new voice and smiled. Lois was crossing the loft holding twin cocoa mugs, reaching one out to Kara. "Thanks. I don't know why, but this stuff is good even when it's warm."

Lois laughed and sat down on the rickety sofa. "Tell me about it. I even drink this stuff at work sometimes. There's a death threat on my thermos."

Kara chuckled as she sat down next to the older woman. The entire night she had been getting a good feeling from Lois Lane. She could tell how at home the woman felt around her aunt and cousin, and she saw how much they liked her being around also. "So, I know a little about it from Aunt Martha, but I don't know the whole story. How did you and Clark end up meeting?"

Curling her legs up under her, Lois smirked. "Well, you know all about the Morgan Edge bust?"

Kara nodded. "I remember having to hear about it from friends. My folks don't exactly keep me up to date on the happenings of Smallville when they hear about it."

Lois returned the nod. "Well, the whole thing started when a body was found up the road here, just past the drive to the farm. They thought it was a friend of theirs at first, and Clark found a Daily Planet memo sheet with my name on it. He came to find me and to find out what I knew about it. You can imagine how it looked when the Sheriff of Smallville stepped out into the major stories floor of the Planet offices."

Kara held back a laugh. "Oh no, don't tell me he did the swagger and the smirk?"

Lois just nodded her head. "He even called me 'ma'am'."

Kara laughed harder. "Oh wow. Please, I need all the details."

/

Clark helped put the last of the dishes in the sink and looked around downstairs. "Hey mom?"

Martha popped up from the fridge, shutting it after putting away the last of the leftovers. "Yes sweety?"

"Have you seen Lois?"

Martha wiped her hands on the dishtowel and nodded. "She took some cocoa out to the barn for Kara and her."

Clark juggled the spatula he was holding before it fell into the sink, splashing suds up to his shirt and forearms. "They're both out there? Together?"

Martha held a smile back. "Yes, they are out there… together… just the two of them. What's the matter sweety?"

Brushing his hands off, Clark started for the door when he heard his mom clear her throat. Knowing that tone, he turned slowly to face her.

Martha stood with her arms crossed. "I believe it's your turn to do the dishes isn't it? Lois did them last time you ate here."

Clark muttered, looking to the doorway then back to her… and trudged back to the sink. "I've got a bad feeling about this."

/

After finishing up the last of the dishes, Clark ran out to the barn as fast as he could, taking the stairs three at a time just in time to see… Kara and Lois staring at him as if he'd grown another head. "Ummm.. hi?"

Lois looked to Kara and both just shook their heads.

Coughing to hide his embarrassment, Clark crossed over to the window at sat on the sill. "So what have you two been chatting about?"

Kara smiled. "Oh nothing much… Sheriff Fuzzy Wuzzy."

Clark sighed and glared at Lois, sending both women into fits of laughter. "Alright alright… do I have to start sharing some embarrassing stories of my own, Miss Waves?"

Lois stopped mid laugh and glared back at him. "That won't be necessary."

Clark smirked. "Good." Turning in his seat, he leaned back against the side of the sill, propping his leg up.

Lois regained her composure. "Kara was just filling me in on her new guy. She met him down at Spring Break in Florida."

Kara shook her head. "It's not really serious. AC is just a friend."

Clark didn't even try to stifle his laugh. "AC? Are you kidding me?"

Cutting her eyes at him, Kara huffed. "It's just what his friends call him. He's got big plans. He wants to save the oceans. He's majoring in environmental studies and marine biology at the University of Miami."

Clark chuckled again. "Is he one of those guys that walks around in his school colors all the time, brandishing the proud Orange and Green?"

Lois raised her brow. "This coming from the guy who wears blue or red plaid if he's not in his uniform?"

Kara hooted and turned to Lois, giving her a high five. "Good one."

Clark rubbed his face. "I just hope this guy's better than some of your old boyfriends."

Lois wasn't exactly sure what happened, but it felt like the temperature in the loft dropped by a few dozen degrees in an instant. She looked from one cousin to the other, seeing one hell of an argument passing between their eyes.

Kara gritted her teeth, exhaling heavily. "You're never going to let that go are you?"

Clark stared back at her. "I'm just making sure you don't forget."

Setting the mug down with a loud thump, Kara jumped up from the couch. "Things change Clark, people can change too you know!"

Clark stood to face her. "I'm well aware of that, but it's a question of if they will ever change."

Stomping to the stairs, Kara turned back to face him one more time. "You know, I came here to get away from an egotistical, know it all, thinks he's better than me… asshole! I don't have to take this from my father, and I definitely don't have to take it from you Clark!" Disappearing down the steps, her stomping could be heard all the way out onto the gravel drive.

After a few tense moments, Lois stood slowly. "Well, good to know dysfunction isn't just limited to the Lane family." She walked over to Clark. "Now, do you mind me asking what the hell that was all about?"

Clark shook his head. "Nothing. Just something that happened a long time ago."

"Well if it was a long time ago, why are you still giving her crap about it?"

Sitting back on the sill, Clark held his hand up. "Lois, just… for once stay out of it, ok? This is between me and my cousin."

Raising an eyebrow, Lois slid down next to him. "Excuse me? For once? Just stay out of it? Have you forgotten who you're talking to here Smallville?"

Groaning, Clark rubbed the back of his neck. "Just drop it."

Looking over at him, Lois sighed. She knew when he got like this he'd rather go a day without talking to her than giving in. "Fine… I'll drop it." Leaning over, she placed a kiss on his cheek and stood, walking over to the stairs.

She had reached the middle landing when Clark spoke up. "You're going to try to get the story out of Kara aren't you?"

"Oh I'm not gonna try, Farmboy, believe that."

Clark just shook his head. Kara was about to get the real introduction to Lois Lane.

/

It took her a while to find the young woman, but Lois finally caught up with Kara a few hundred yards away from the house, sitting on a hill overlooking the fields. Sitting down next to her, she pulled a hanky from her blouse. "Guys can be buttheads, I know."

Kara took the hanky and wiped her face. "You have no idea how big of a… butthead… Clark has been."

Lois shrugged. "I don't know about that. There's still a few things I pulled that he hasn't been willing to let go of. He can grab onto the tiniest issue and just wring it and wring it and wring it until you're ready to just hit him. And it's all over nothing."

Kara sighed softly, propping her head on her hands. "That's the thing though. In this case, it's not really… over nothing."

Propping her arms on her knees, Lois looked over to Kara. "Care to share? It helps to get it out of your system sometimes."

Sniffling again, Kara stared out at the field. "I was visiting on school break a long time ago. I was sixteen. It was the year after Clark became sheriff. I uh… I met up with some old friends of mine that I used to hang out with before we moved, and they got us into Rowdy's, the bar down the highway in Granville. And there was this guy…" Rubbing her eyes, she sighed again. "God I was so stupid."

Lois put a hand on her shoulder. "We've all been there, trust me. Go ahead."

"Well, there was this guy there, and he told me all the stuff I wanted to hear you know? That I was beautiful, and I was special, and he never knew anyone like me…"

"And the sun must rise and set in your eyes because they sparkle like no others…"

Kara turned to look at Lois, a small smirk curling her lips.

Realizing she had spoken out loud, Lois coughed. "What? I already said you're not the only one who fell for it before. Go on, tell your story."

Kara shook her head and cleared her throat. "Well, I got in his car and he was showing off, driving really fast and taking corners and all. I thought it was great, but now I know it was just stupid. Anyway, he ended up veering off the road and hitting a garage. I mean like… through the wall of the garage, tearing up a lot of stuff inside. And he was freaking out because he was drinking, and he had… umm… he had some pot in the car." Kara brushed her hair out, feeling like it might hide her a little bit at least. "He was freaking out, and I told him not to worry… I knew someone who could help. Soooo… I called Clark."

Lois felt herself tense up, starting to piece together what must have happened. "You called Clark to try and help after the wreck."

Kara nodded. "He got there, and he started reading the guy his rights and I stopped him. I told him I called him to help, not get us in trouble. He said there wasn't anything he could do, he had to report this. And so I did something stupid to protect my 'date'. I told Clark if he didn't help, I'd tell them I was driving and I did it. And that the… the drugs were mine."

Lois couldn't stop herself this time. "Oh Kara. Wow."

"I know, I know, it was so stupid! I was so stupid. I used my family to help with someone I barely knew." Wiping fresh tears with her hanky, she sat up a little straighter. "Clark was upset. I mean he was pissed off, I could see it in his eyes. His radio went off, and it was one of the deputies asking if he had the situation under control. He glared at the guy, then at me… and he told them he had it. It was a hit and run, no car at the scene. I hugged him and thanked him, and he pushed me away. He just told me to leave. So I drove the car out of there and back to Rowdy's. The guy was passed out by then, and I went back to my friends and went home. They took me back to Aunt Martha's the next morning, and I went to talk to Clark before I left. He wouldn't say a word to me. He didn't even look at me when he took me to the bus station."

After it got quiet, Lois sighed. "And that's why you guys haven't had the best relationship for half a decade."

Kara just nodded.

Lois leaned back on her elbows on the grass. "Well, I guess from the amount of self loathing you've done tonight, I don't have to tell you how stupid the whole deal was?"

Kara shook her head.

"And I guess you understand why your cousin is still pissed off?"

Kara nodded again. "It could have ruined him if it got out. He had just gotten elected, and he was trying to clean up the mess the old sheriff had made. And then I give him his very own personal scandal. Filing a false report, letting a suspect leave the scene of an accident, letting a DUI and possession slide."

Lois raised an eyebrow and looked over to Kara. The blonde just shrugged. "When I admitted I screwed up, I did some research into just how badly I screwed up."

Lois chuckled. "At least you're thorough. Have you admitted all this to Clark yet?"

Kara shook her head, snorting. "I can tell myself all day that I screwed up, but when I try to make myself admit it to him, I guess it's a pride thing. Like I'm still pissed at him for pulling stuff like he did a little bit ago."

Lois nodded. "He's just trying to look out for you. You're like his kid sister." Pushing herself up from the grass, Lois brushed off her hands and the seat of her jeans. "Now come on, let's go."

Kara looked up to the offered hand and took it, standing slowly. "Where are we going?"

Lois smirked. "Rowdy's. Ever heard of an exorcism? It works with crappy memories of guys too. And you're of legal drinking age now, so that makes it even better."

Kara shook her head. "I don't know if that's really the best idea…"

Lois gripped her shoulders and leaned down to face the shorter woman. "We're going to Rowdy's, we're going to have some drinks, we're going to loosen up, and then you and your cousin are finally going to have that talk you've both been avoiding. Got me?"

Kara sighed and nodded.

Smiling, Lois slung an arm around her new friend's shoulders. "Good."

As they walked back to the farm, Kara glanced up. "You know, Clark was right. You are really bossy."

"That's one of my most endearing traits Blondie, don't forget it."

/

After messing with the equipment in the barn for a while, Clark finally made his way inside the house. "Lois? Kara?"

"They're not here sweety."

After washing his hands, Clark walked over to the living room. "Where'd they get off to?"

Martha shrugged. "Lois just said not to wait up."

Leaning his head back, Clark groaned. "That can't be good." As if on cue, his cell phone started buzzing. Checking the ID, he flipped it open. "Lois? Where are you guys?"

"Uhhh, no time for small talk, we might have a situation Clark."

His eyes widened. Lois used his real name. With a serious tone. This was bad. "Lois, where are you?"

"Rowdy's out on the highway. Clark, you need to get out here, now."

Clark opened his mouth again but was cut off by the sounds of voices in the background. It sounded like Kara was having an argument with someone… several someones. "Lois, what's going on?"

"Just hurry up Clark, I'm serious. This might be a little much for me to handle." And with that the line went dead.

Putting the phone in his pocket, Clark headed for the front door.

"Clark, what's going on? Where are you going?"

"To get Lois and Kara. I knew those two couldn't stay out of trouble."

Martha raised an eyebrow as the door slammed shut, and she heard his car start up with a roar moments later. Sighing, she turned back to her cross-stitch. "Never a dull moment with those kids. Smallville, pssh."


	4. Chapter 4

Skidding to a stop in the dirt parking lot, Clark jumped out of the Charger before the engine had fully shut down. Walking quickly he hit the front door, shoving it open and stepping into bedlam. Loud music, drunk people, and the smell of stale beer and cheap liquor filled the air, assaulting him before the door even shut. "Lois? Kara?"

Walking around the packed floor, Clark looked for any sign of his cousin or his girlfriend.

"Clark!"

Turning, Clark saw a blonde head get pulled back out of sight. Pushing through the crowd he finally found Kara at a booth, stuck between several inebriated bikers by the looks of them. "Kara, are you ok?"

"Course she's ok, she's with us. Get lost." One of the men slung his arm around Kara's shoulders, pulling her closer and smirking at Clark. Kara tried to pull away, just making him pull her closer. The man looked from the blonde back to Clark. "You got a hearing problem buddy?"

Ignoring the brute, Clark reached his hand out. "Come on, let's find Lois and get going."

Kara reached out to him before her hand was grabbed roughly and yanked back. "She's not going anywhere Opie. Get lost."

Clark gritted his teeth, looking around and noticing how many of the drunks were taking notice now. He didn't like his odds. "Where's Lois?"

"Right here! Get your damn hands off me if you want to keep them!"

Everyone looked over just in time to see Lois pull her arms free from a bald behemoth and rear back, punching him in the face as hard as she could. Clark's eyes went wide, realizing that this isn't helping anything. "Lois… that might not have been the best idea."

Rubbing her fist, Lois looked back at him. "If you knew where he had just put his hands, you'd have helped me."

Clark held his hands up, turning to face the circle of people gathering around. "Alright, this is gonna stop now before it goes too far. The ladies are going to come with me, and we're going to leave your bar. Everyone can have a good night."

"And why would we let you do that?" One of the men holding Kara, obviously the leader of the group, stood up to face Clark. Standing a few inches shorter, the tattoos covering his arms and working up to his neck made for a menacing figure none the less.

Clark sighed. "Trust me, you don't want to do what you're thinking about."

"Looks like he's tryin' to tell you what to do, Sandman." One of the cronies from behind Clark got into the conversation, leading to a round of chuckles from the group.

"Sandman?" Clark groaned when he heard Lois speak up. "Seriously? Because you're so boring you put people to sleep?"

The leader made a move to push past Clark, leading to Clark putting both hands on his chest and holding him back. "Look, I'm a cop. Let's just forget all about this, and everyone goes their own way, alright?"

"Cop huh? Where's your tin?"

Clark reached down to his belt on instinct, eyes going wide when he realized what was missing. "Well damn."

"He drove up in an old Dodge, looked pretty cherry. No cop car though." Someone else from the back of the group offered up.

Sandman just laughed. "It ain't nice to lie boy. How 'bout you get out of here before we beat your ass 'til you can't walk?"

"I'm not leaving without them."

Sandman chuckled again. "Then I guess you ain't leavin'." He nodded over Clark's shoulder.

Before he could react, Clark was lifted up from behind in a bearhug, squeezing him tighter and tighter until he could see the edge of his vision blacking out. Acting on instinct, Clark slammed his head back, feeling and hearing the wet snap of cartilage against bone. Kicking his boots down he kicked at the behemoth's knees and felt the grip give a little more as his own feet finally hit the floor. Pushing back hard as he could he ran, feeling a jolt when they hit something solid and the arms let him go. Turning, Clark gripped the back of baldy's head and slammed elbow after elbow into his face and temple, stopping when the wall of a man slumped to the floor.

Murmurs spread around the group, shock spreading at how easily he had taken down one of the biggest men in the gang. Sandman looked him over, a smirk spreading across his lips. "Impressive. Looks like it's gonna be a good night. We haven't had the fights in a while, no one stupid enough to come in here."

Clark felt his arms get grabbed and started struggling again, elbowing one in the chest before heard a shriek. Twisting his head he saw Sandman holding Kara by the hair, yanking her head back. "Knock it off, or she won't stay pretty for long. Got me?"

Clark nodded, letting them lead him along after the leader. Walking through the doorway into the back room, lights flickered on to show a makeshift ring made of chain link and wood posts. Sandman stepped into the middle, arms spread wide as he turned. "Welcome to the octagon!" The gang members hollered out, fists pumping the air.

Lois snorted. "You know your octagon only has five sides, right?" She was cut off by a hard slap from a bleach blonde woman wearing the same leathers as the rest of them. Lois glared at her then spat a bit of blood to the floor. "You and me dye job, let's go." Lois nodded her head at the ring.

Clark was shoved into the ring and the door shut. Sandman stood on a box. "Any takers? Anybody gonna volunteer to step up?"

A tall man stepped up from the back of the group, stripping his jacket off. Clark shook his head when he saw him stepping into the cage. He was tall and wiry, but anyone could see the muscles he had built up. Circling Clark in the ring, the man stretched his arms, popping joints, rolling his shoulders. Settling into a fighting stance, he grunted once to Clark.

Rolling his eyes, Clark turned back to the leader. "Trust me, you don't want to push this any further than it has been." Turning back toward the man in the ring he was met with a high arcing kick, the toe of the man's boot slamming into the side of his face. Clark twisted down to one knee, blood flying from his lip. Squinting, he tried to push the pain away before pushing himself back up to his feet before another kick flew at him, catching him in the ribs. His knees nearly buckling from the hit, Clark stumbled back, hitting the chain link wall.

Looking up just in time he blocked another kick with his forearms. Ducking a wild punch Clark shoved the man away again before a hard kick slammed into his upper thigh, knotting the muscle up. Grunting, Clark shoved the man away again, sending him to the opposite side of the cage.

Grinning, the tall man pushed off the cage and ran straight towards Clark.

Snarling, Clark pushed himself up from his knee, stepping on his left foot and bringing his right boot up, slamming it into the man's chest with a deep thud.

The tall man stumbled back. Looking down at his chest, he glared back to Clark, shaking his head. He took a step back toward the sheriff… and crumpled to the ground, clutching his sternum.

Clark glared up at Sandman, spitting blood once more onto the dirt.

A couple of members rushed in and pulled the tall man to his feet, dragging him out as he muttered. Clark walked toward the door to the cage before he was shoved back. "You ain't done."

Clark shoved his arm away. "Why don't you get in here with me then?"

Sandman smiled. "Perks of being the boss. I got people to do that for me." Shoving Clark again, he stepped aside and let another of his people through. "All yours Mick." A shorter, solidly built man stepped into the cage. The worst of it was when Clark saw him pull a knife from his pocket, flipping the blade out.

Clark shook his head. "Trust me, you don't want to do this."

Mick laughed. "Why's that?"

"The last guy who used a knife got dropped off a building."

Kara turned to look at Lois in shock, Lois just nodded. "Long story, involved Whitney and Lana and their son. I'll catch you up when we get out of here."

Mick rushed at Clark, stabbing the knife toward him. Clark jumped back, feeling the knife barely graze his stomach, slashing his shirt. Pressing a hand to the wound, Clark hissed. Ripping his over shirt open he pulled it off, twirling it into a tight rope. Mick stabbed at him again. Clark sidestepped the knife, whipping the shirt over Mick's arm and yanking it tight. Pushing his arms up over Mick's head, Clark slammed a knee into the knife wielder's gut.

Gripping the twisted shirt with one hand, Clark grabbed Mick by the throat and slammed him into a wooden corner post. "Drop it!"

Mick twisted the knife in his grip and slashed as much as he could, cutting Clark across his fingers. Biting back the pain, Clark let go of Mick's neck before throwing a hard punch, catching him in the elbow and twisting his arm back further.

Finally dropping the knife, Mick tried to knee Clark in the same side as the earlier fighter had.

Twisting, Clark grabbed Mick's leg from behind the knee. Releasing the shirt, he grabbed the shorter man by his collar and twisted hard, throwing Mick over the fence and into the crowd standing and watching the fights.

"That's it!" Sandman threw the cage door open and rushed inside, grabbing the knife Mick had used and rushing Clark with it.

"Hey Sandbox!"

Both Clark and the leader turned to see who shouted. Lois stood right behind Sandman. "My turn."

Sandman swung the blade in an arc at Lois' head, missing by a wide margin. Lois brought her leg up hard between his, kicking him very hard. Sandman whimpered and slumped to his knees. Grabbing him by the ears, Lois put her knee into his forehead, making him waver even more. As he barely held onto consciousness, Lois reared her arm back and slapped him backhanded across the face, dropping Sandman to the dirt.

"Baby!" The bleached blonde who slapped Lois earlier moved to rush the cage before a hand on her arm stopped her. She turned to see Kara glaring. "What the fuck do you think…?" She didn't get to finish her question, as Kara landed a hard punch to her face, sending her to the dirt with her boyfriend.

Clark looked up to his little cousin with a slight smile on his face. She was shaking her hand and muttering a chorus of "ows".

Picking up his ruined shirt, Clark walked toward the door to the cage with Lois only to find their path blocked by several more members of the group. "Seriously? You want to try it?"

Several of them looked around at the three before stepping aside, mumbling under their breath.

The bartender was shocked to see a bloody Clark walk from the back with the two women. Everyone who was sitting out in the bar made sure to give the trio a wide berth. If they made it out of the back of the store, they definitely weren't to be messed with.

Walking out into the parking lot, Clark leaned against the hood of the Charger holding his ribs. "You know, this is the second time I've had to come out to this area to help you out Kara."

Sighing, Kara stared down at the dirt without saying a word. Lois started to speak up when Clark held his hand up and cut her off. Pushing off the hood with a grunt, Clark walked to his little cousin and put his hand on her shoulder. Looking up at him, Kara was shocked to see a grin. "But something tells me this time, you could have gotten yourself out of trouble eventually. You handled yourself pretty well there. Proud of you kiddo."

Kara smiled even bigger and threw her arms around her cousin, jumping back when she heard him moan as she squeezed his hurt ribs. "Sorry, sorry…"

Clark laughed. "It's fine. Pretty sure I deserve it a little bit at least for the past five years." Pulling her closer, Clark pressed a kiss to the top of her head, hugging her back.

Lois smiled at the exchange. "Well what about me? I don't get a hug or an 'atta girl, Lois'?"

Clark just scoffed as he opened the driver's side door. "If I did that every time you got yourself into trouble, it would lost a lot of its meaning don't you think?"

/

Clark sat on the tailgate of the farm truck looking out over the field and the pond. A couple of days had passed since the incident at Rowdy's. Picking up a piece of splintered wood from the bed of the truck, he flicked it out into the field, watching it bend the tall grass as it fell.

"Room for one more?"

Looking over to the side he saw Kara walking up. Scooting over he made room on the tailgate.

After a few minutes of watching the wind blowing the grass, Kara sighed. "I'm sorry."

"What for?"

Hands in her lap, Kara twisted her thumbs. Biting her lip, she tried to force out the words she had meant to for so long. "I'm sorry for calling you that night. I shouldn't have used you like that. I shouldn't have even put you in that position."

Clark nodded slowly. "I… Yea, it was screwed up. But I know I didn't help the issue all these years. I shouldn't have kept pushing it in your face. Maybe there would have been a lot more peace. Kara I just… I wanted to make sure you realized how wrong that was."

She nodded slowly. "I do, believe me I do. And I know I didn't act like it, but I really do realize that."

He nodded. "Good." Reaching over to muss her hair, Clark laughed when she made a pouty face. "Just so you know, I only get into bar fights for people I care about."

Kara smiled. "Well that makes me feel special. I was a little shocked that my goody two shoes cousin got into a bar brawl though. I thought you'd be too worried about breaking the rules."

Clark shrugged. "The past year or so taught me a lot about what's necessary. Things aren't always going to be simple. I am a little surprised no one's come looking for us though. I figured the biker's egos wouldn't let them let it go so easily."

Kara scoffed. "It's not like they could go to the police. I mean, wrongful imprisonment, kidnapping, assault, assault with a deadly weapon, attempted manslaughter…" She stopped chattering when she noticed Clark staring at her wide-eyed. "Oh that's right, you never gave me time to explain. The major I changed over to… pre-law. I took my LSATs and ranked in the top ten percentile."

Clark laughed. "You're going to be a lawyer?"

She shrugged. "Well, I was how do you say… inspired by my big cousin over the last year. I'd rather make a difference than line people's pockets as a business major like daddy wanted. And I didn't think I'd do all that well in actual police work. Sorry, but I don't think scars are all that sexy. And you look like you've picked up quite a few since the last time I saw you."

Clark just shook his head, smiling. "Kara that's… wow. That's great. I'm really proud of you kiddo."

She smiled again. "Oh yea, since daddy cut me off after I changed my major, I'm not going to be going to my old school."

Clark raised his eyebrow. "So where will you be going?"

"I hear Met U has a great law program."

"You… you're going to go to school in Metropolis?"

Kara laughed at his response. "That's the plan. Not sure where I'll be living yet. Aunt Martha offered me your old room."

Shaking his head, Clark had to laugh. "Wow… I wasn't expecting this, I'll be honest." Sliding off the tailgate he pulled her into a hug. "Congratulations Kara. I look forward to working with you one day."

Hugging him back, Kara felt something against her shoulder. Reaching into the chest pocket of the worn out red plaid shirt he wore, she pulled a small velvet box out. "Clark? Is this what I think it is?"

Clark could only smile. "Yep. I'm going to ask Lois to marry me."

Letting out a happy squeal, Kara jumped up and down, hugging him again even tighter. "That's so great, you guys are awesome together!" Popping the box open, her eyes widened at the sight of the diamond. "It's gorgeous."

Clark smirked. "Thanks. I tried to find one that just said… Lois."

Kara grinned. "You definitely did. When are you going to ask her?"

Clark shrugged. "Soon. Maybe this weekend if the moment is right."

Closing the box, Kara tucked it back into his shirt pocket. "What did her dad have to say about it when you asked him?"

Clark's body tensed up immediately. Wide eyed he stared down at his little cousin. "What? Lois and her dad don't really get along that great, I don't see why…"

Shaking her head, Kara tsk-ed. "Clark, trust me on this. Even if a girl and her dad aren't getting along so well, he's still her daddy. He matters in her life. And I know Aunt Martha raised you to do things right. I'd want whoever I end up with to talk to daddy before he asked me." Patting the pocket that held the ring, Kara turned and headed back to the house. "Good luck big cuz."

Clark stared out at the field as the wind blew the grass around. Lois' father? He needed to talk to Lois' father and ask his blessing? After their last, and only, meeting had ended so well?

"Holy shit."


End file.
